Image forming apparatus having a single device for detecting when cover of the apparatus are all closed

Abstract

An image forming apparatus employs a device that detects the opening and closing of covers. Two covers are pivotally mounted to a body of the image forming apparatus, each of the two covers being movable either to its opening position to open with respect to the image forming apparatus or to its closing position to close with respect to the image forming apparatus. A movable member is positioned at a first position when both the two covers are at their opening positions. A micro switch detects whether the two covers are closed or opened with respect to the image forming apparatus. When one of the two covers has moved to its closing position causing the movable member to move to a second position and the other of the two covers is at its closing position, the detector detects that the two covers are closed.

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
 two covers pivotally mounted to a body of the image forming apparatus, each of said two covers being movable either to its opening position to open with respect to the image forming apparatus or to its closing position to close with respect to the image forming apparatus; 
 a movable member positioned at a first position when said two covers are at their opening positions; 
 a detector that detects whether said two covers are closed or opened with respect to the image forming apparatus; 
 wherein when one of said two covers has moved to its closing position causing said movable member to move to a second position and the other of said two covers is at its closing position. said detector detects that said two covers are closed with respect to the image forming apparatus; 
 an urging member that exerts an urging force on said movable member in a first direction; and 
 wherein a first one of said two covers moves from its opening position to its closing position in a second direction opposite to the first direction, causing said movable member to move against the urging force to the second position. 
 
     
     
       2. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said detector is a switch,
 wherein when the first one of said two covers is at its closing position, a second one of said two covers moves to its closing position, causing the switch to shift. 
 
     
     
       3. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said detector is a switch,
 wherein after a second one of said two covers has moved to its closing position, the first one of said two covers moves to its closing position causing the switch to shift. 
 
     
     
       4. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said movable member includes a swing member hat swings about an axis,
 wherein after the first one of said two covers has moved to its closing position to push said movable member to move against an urging force of the urging member to the second position, a second one of said two covers moves to its closing position causing the swing member to shift the switch. 
 
     
     
       5. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said detector is a switch and said movable member includes a swing member that swings about an axis,
 wherein after a second one of said two covers has moved to its closing position, the first one of said two covers moves to its closing position to push said movable member to move against an urging force of the urging member to the second position, causing the swing member to shift the switch. 
 
     
     
       6. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the swing member has two surfaces that form a taper such that the swing member is thicker at the axis than it is at its free end, wherein when the first one of said two covers moves from its opening position to its closing position to push said movable member against the urging force of the urging member, the free end of the swing member enters a gap between the switch and the second one of said two covers so that the tapered swing member causes the switch to shift. 
     
     
       7. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the swing member has a surface that moves into sliding engagement with a surface of the second one of said two covers, the surface being configured to mate with the surface of the second one of said two covers. 
     
     
       8. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein each of said two covers comprises a corresponding engagement portion that includes a support portion, a cap that fits over the support portion, and an urging member that urges the cap in a direction from the opening position toward the closing position;
 wherein when the first one of said two covers is moved from its opening position to its closing position, the corresponding engagement portion abuts said movable member; and 
 wherein when the second one of said two covers is moved from its opening position to its closing position, the corresponding engagement portion abuts the swing member. 
 
     
     
       9. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 two covers pivotally mounted to a body of the image forming apparatus, each of said two covers being movable either to its opening position to open with respect to the image forming apparatus or to its closing position to close with respect to the image forming apparatus; 
 a movable member positioned at a first position when said two covers are at their opening positions; 
 a detector that detects whether said two covers are closed or opened with respect to the image forming apparatus; 
 wherein when one of said two covers has moved to its closing position causing said movable member to move to a second position and the other of said two covers is at its closing position, said detector detects that said two covers are closed with respect to the image forming apparatus; 
 wherein said detector is a switch, the switch being in one state when said two covers are at their closing positions and in another state when at least one of said two covers is at its opening position; 
 wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises an urging member that exerts an urging force on said movable member in a first direction; and 
 wherein a first one of said two covers moves from its opening position to its closing position in a second direction opposite to the first direction, causing said movable member to move against the urging force to the second position. 
 
     
     
       10. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said movable member includes a bar that pivots about an axis,
 wherein after the first one of said two covers has moved from its opening position to its closing position to push said movable member to the second position, a second one of said two covers moves from its opening position to its closing position to push the bar to pivot so that the bar causes the switch to shift. 
 
     
     
       11. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said movable member includes a bar that pivots about an axis,
 wherein the first one of said two covers moves to its closing position after a second one of said two covers has moved from its opening position to its closing position to push the bar to pivot, so that the first one of said two covers pushes said movable member to the second position causing the bar to shift the switch. 
 
     
     
       12. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said movable member includes a swing member that swings about an axis,
 wherein after the first one of said two covers has moved to its closing position to push said movable member to move against an urging force of the urging member to the second position, a second of said two covers moves to its closing position causing the swing member to shift the switch. 
 
     
     
       13. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said movable member includes a swing member that swings about an axis,
 wherein after a second one of said two covers has moved to its closing position, the first one of said two covers moves to its closing position to push said movable member to move against an urging force of the urging member to the second position, causing the swing member to shift the switch. 
 
     
     
       14. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the swing member has two surfaces that form a taper such that the swing member is thicker at the axis than it is at its free end, wherein when the first one of said two covers moves from its opening position to its closing position to push said movable member against the urging force of the urging member, the free end of the swing member enters a gap between the switch and the second one of said two covers so that the tapered swing member causes the switch to shift. 
     
     
       15. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the swing member has a surface that moves into sliding engagement with a surface of the second one of said two covers, the surface being configured to mate with the surface of the second one of said two covers. 
     
     
       16. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein each of said two covers comprises a corresponding engagement portion that includes a support portion, a cap that fits over the support portion, and an urging member that urges the cap in a direction from the opening position toward the closing position,
 wherein when the first one of said two covers is moved from its opening position to its closing position, the corresponding engagement portion abuts said movable member; 
 wherein when the second one of said two covers is moved from its opening position to its closing position, the corresponding engagement portion abuts the swing member. 
 
     
     
       17. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said movable member includes a cam that rotates about an axis and that is urged by an urging member in a first direction,
 wherein after a first one of said two covers has moved from its opening position to its closing position to push the cam to rotate against an urging force of the urging member, a second one of said two covers moves from its opening position to its closing position to push said movable member to the second position, the cam rotating to cause the switch to shift. 
 
     
     
       18. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said movable member includes a cam that rotates about an axis and that is urged by an urging member in a first direction,
 wherein a first one of said two covers moves from its opening position to its closing position to push the cam to rotate against an urging force of the urging member after a second one of said two covers moves from its opening position to its closing position to push said movable member to the second position, the cam rotating to cause the switch to shift. 
 
     
     
       19. An image forming apparatus, comprising;
 two covers pivotally mounted to a body of the image forming apparatus, each of said two covers being movable either to its opening position to open with respect to the image forming apparatus or to its closing position to close with respect to the image forming apparatus; 
 a movable member positioned at a first position when said two covers are at their opening positions; 
 a detector that detects whether said two covers are closed or opened with respect to the image forming apparatus; 
 wherein when one of said two covers has moved to its closing position causing said movable member to move to a second position and the other of said two covers is at its closing position, said detector detects that said two covers are closed with respect to the image forming apparatus; 
 a movable engagement member pivotally mounted to said movable member, said movable engagement member being at a third position when said two covers are at their opening positions; and 
 wherein when a first one of said two covers has moved to its closing position causing said movable member to move to the second position and a second one of said two covers moves to its closing position causing said movable engagement member to pivot to a fourth position, said movable engagement member causes said detector to detect that said two covers are closed with respect to the image forming apparatus. 
 
     
     
       20. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein said detector is a switch, the switch being in one state when said two covers are at their closing positions and in another state when at least one of said two covers is at its opening position. 
     
     
       21. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein said movable engagement member is a swing member that swings about an axis,
 wherein after the first one of said two covers has moved to its closing position to push said movable member to move against an urging force of an urging member to the second position, the second one of said two covers moves to its closing position causing the swing member to shift the switch. 
 
     
     
       22. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the swing member has two surfaces that form a taper such that the swing member is thicker at the axis than it is at its free end, wherein  6  the swing member is sandwiched between the switch and the second one of said two covers so that the tapered swing member causes the switch to shift. 
     
     
       23. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the swing member has a surface that moves into sliding engagement with a surface of the second one of said two covers, the surface being configured to mate with the surface. 
     
     
       24. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein each of said two covers comprises a corresponding engagement portion that includes a support portion, a cap that fits over the support portion, and an urging member that urges the cap in a direction from the opening position toward the closing position,
 wherein when the first one of said two covers is moved from its opening position to its closing position, the corresponding engagement portion abuts said movable member; 
 wherein when the second one of said two covers is moved from its opening position to its closing position, the corresponding engagement portion abuts the swing member. 
 
     
     
       25. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein said movable engagement member is a cam that rotates about an axis and that is urged by an urging member in a first direction,
 wherein after the first one of said two covers has moved from its opening position to its closing position to push the cam to rotate against an urging force of the urging member, the second one of said two covers moves from its opening position to its closing position to push said movable member to the second position, the cam rotating to cause the switch to shift. 
 
     
     
       26. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the cam has a circular edge,
 wherein when the cam rotates, the circular edge moves into engagement with the switch to shift the switch. 
 
     
     
       27. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein said movable engagement member is a cam that rotates about an axis and that is urged by an urging member in a first direction,
 wherein the first one of said two covers moves from its opening position to its closing position to push the cam to rotate against an urging force of the urging member after the second one of said two covers moves from its opening position to its closing position to push said movable member to the second position, the cam rotating to cause the switch to shift. 
 
     
     
       28. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the cam has a circular edge,
 wherein when the cam rotates, the circular edge moves into engagement with the switch to shift the switch.